West Chelsea Loses Beloved Poppy’s But Gains a Beer Garden

Apologies for not relaying this information a couple of days ago when Jeremiah’s Vanishing first reported it, but we’re still in shock: Our beloved Poppy’s Terminal Restaurant has been sold after three decades, and shall heretofore be known as the Highline Gourmet Deli. It’s uncertain just how long the baseball cards and retro wood paneling will remain on the walls, but we can at least take solace that, according to JVNY’s account, “Poppy Livanis still works there [and] the interior is mostly the same as before, minus one taxidermied deer head.” Does that mean the above BREAKFAST sign is still hanging? Someone please tell us if it is — as you can see from the photo below, Poppy’s was shuttered when we stopped by around 6:30 p.m. the other night to assess the damage. Meanwhile, just around the corner, the Friends of the High Line and Tom Colicchio have opened a formidable beer garden, The Lot on Tap.

Photo: Daniel Maurer

Until September 30, the empty lot at 30th Street and Tenth Avenue will have two bars serving the beers and wines listed below, plus picnic table seating for 350. At $7, beers are like four times more expensive than they were at Poppy’s, but hey, you can’t get High Line Elevated Wheat (brewed by Brooklyn Brewery with wheat from New York State) anywhere but here. The food will come from trucks: Red Hook Lobster, Taim Mobile, The Taco Truck, Coolhaus, and Kelvin Natural Slush Co. The Lot on Tap will be open from noon till 10 p.m. Monday through Wednesday and till 11 p.m. Thursday and Friday; and from 11 a.m. till 11 p.m. on Saturdays, and till 10 p.m. on Sundays.